The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-02-17
THE VETO.
Main Points in the Message of the Presi-
dent Vetoing the Dependent Pension.


|
bill No 0451, entitled AN act for the relief of
| dependent parents and honorably discharged
| soldiers and sailors who are now disabled and
/ dependent upon their own labor for support"
This is the first general bill that has been sane
! toned by Congress since the close Of the late
civil war permitting pension to the soldiers and
| sailors who served in that war upon the grounds
of service and present disability alone and in the
entire absence OF any injuries received by the
casualties and incidents Of such service. While
by almost constant legislation since the close of
| this war there has been compensation awarded
for every possible injury received as a result OF
military service in the Union army. and while a
great number OF laws passed for that purpose
| have been administered with great hberality,
! and have been supplemented by numerous prl-
waite acts to reach special cases, there has not,
| until now, been an ayowed departure from the
| principle thus far adhered to respecting Union
soldiers, that the bounty of the Government il
| the way of pensions Is generously bestowed
when granted TO those who in its military ser
vice. and in the line of military duty have TO a
greater or less extent been disabled.
The President then reverts to the Service
Pension acts of 1918, ISIS and 1SS2, pension
| ing survivors of the Revolutionary war
| also to to the more recent Mexican war pen
sion legislation, and continues:
/ The war Of the rebellion terminated nearly
twenty-five years ago; the number of men fur
nished for its prosecution is stated to be arr,
as. No corresponding number of statutes have
ever been passed to cover every kind OF injury
Or disability incurred in the military service of
any war. Under these statutes So, $50 pensions
have been granted from the year 1861 TO June
30, 1885, and more than 1900 pensions have
been added to the soldiers by private acts
passed to meet cases, many of them OF ques-
tionable merit, which the general laws did not
I T,,r.-
| sioners of all classes were upon the pension
rolls. of whom 305,eO5 were survivors of the war
of the rebellion and their widows and Depend
ents. For the year ending June 30, 1887, S15,-
0O0,0O0 have been appropriated for the payment
of pensions and the amount expended for that
purpose from 1861 TO July !, 1885, is
sos, GA, 811.JO. While annually paying out
such vast sum for pensions already
granted, it is now proposed by the bill
under consideration TO award service pension
to the soldiers of all the wars in which the
United States has been engaged, including, OF
course, the war OF the rebellion, and to pay
those entitled to the benefits Of the act the sum
of sl2 per month. So far as it relates TO the
soldiers of the late civil war, the bounty 1t af-
fcrds them is given thirteen years earlier than
it has been furnished to the soldiers Of any other
war and before large majority of its eenehci-
aries have advanced in age beyond the strength
and vigor of the prime of life. 1t exacts only q
military or naval service of three months, with
out any requirement of actual engagement with
an enemy in battle and without subsection to
any of the actual dangers of war.
The President then dWells on the disa-
greements which he claims must arise on
the definitions of words in the bill, such as
''incapacitated for labor" dependent upon
their own labor for support" etc. He says
am of the opinion that it may fairly be con
tended that any soldier whose faculties of mind
or body have become impaired by accident, dis
ease or age, irrespective of his service in the
army as a cause, and who by his labor only is
left incapable OF earning the fair support he
might have with unimpaired powers have pro-
vided for himself and who is not so well en-
bowed with this worlds goods as to live without
work, may claim to participate in its bounty;
that it is not required that he shall be without
property but only that labor should be neces-
sary to his support in some degree, nor is ii re-
CURED that he should be now receiving support
from others.
Believing this to be the proper Interpretation
of the bill, 1 can not but remember that the
soldiers of the civil war in their pay and bounty
received such compensation for military
service as has never been received by
soldiers before since mankind first went
to war: that never before, on behalf OF
any soldiers, have so many and such generous
laws been passed to relieve against the Incl
dents of war; that statutes have been passed
giving them preference in all public employ
ments; that the really needy and homeless
Union soldiers OF the rebellion have been to a
large extent provided for at soldiers homes in
stituted and supported by the Government,
where they are maintained altogether, free from
the degradation which attaches to the usual
support of charity, and that never before in the
history of the country has it been proposed to
otd I'd tho nf
any OF the soldiers based alone upon a military
service so recent and where age and circum-
stances appeared so little to demand such aid.
Hitherto such aid has been granted to surviv-
ing soldiers, few in number, venerable in age,
and as a parting benefaction rendered by a
grateful people. 1 can not believe that the
vast peaceful army of Union soldiers, who, hav
ing contentedly resumed their places in the or.
binary avocations OF life, cherish as sacred the
memory of patriotic service, or who, having
been disabled by the casualties OF war, justly
regard the present pension roll on which appear
their names as a roll Of honor, desire at this
time and in the present exigency 10 be con-
founded with those who through such a bill as
this are willing to be objects OF simple charity
and to gain place upon the pension roll through
alleged dependence.
In the execution Of this proposed law, under
any Interpretation, wide field Of inquiry would
be opened for the establishment OF facts largely
within the knowledge of the claimants alone
and there can be no doubt that the race after the
pensions offered by this bill would not only slim
ulate weakness and pretended incapacity fol-
labor, but put q further premium on dishonesty
and mendacity. -
1 think it may be said that at the close of the
war Of the rebellion every Northern State and a
great majority Of Northern counties and cities
were burdcned with taxation on account OF the
large bounties paid our soldiers and the bonded
debt thereby created still exists and constitutes
a large item in the account of the tax gatherer
against the people. Federal taxation. no less
borne by the people than that directly levied
upon their property, is still maintained at the
rate made necessary by the exigencies OF war.
II this bill should become law with its ire
mendous addition to our previous obligation,
am thoroughly convinced that further efforts TO
reduce the Federal revenue and restore some
part of it to our people will, and perhaps should
be- seriously questioned. 1t has constantly been
a cause OF pride and congratulation to
the American citizen that his country IS not
put to the charge of maintaining large stand
ing army in time of peace. Yet we are now
living under war tax which has been tolerated
in peaceful times to meet the obligations in
CURED in war. But for years past in all parts
of the country the demand for the reduction OF
the burden of taxation upon our labor and pro-
duction arS increased in volume and urgency. L
am not willing to approve measure presenting
the objections TO which this bill is subject and
which, moreover, will have the effect of disap-
pointing the expectations of the people and
their desire and hope for relief from war taxa
ton in time of peace.
GROVER CLEVELAND.
In nearly all the States the courts